St. John’s Lutheran Church ELCA 1300 W. Benjamin Avenue
Norfolk, NE 68701 (402) 371-1985
[email protected] www.stjohnsnorfolk.com
Our Mission: Loving God . . . Loving People . . . Reaching Out!
Please remember in prayer: Janet Jundt Dallas Esser Tom Barr Leona Pfeifer Bradley Wise Stephanie Rabbass Phil Sykes Jo Schaefer Kim Martinson Wave Prchal Keagan Sullivan Don Freese Bailey Suehl Boston DeWald Kurt Peterson Norma Hunter Warren DeWald Leona Scheerhoorn The family of Darrell Jorgensen as they mourn his death
If you know someone who is in need of prayer but whose name is not listed, it may be that they have asked not to be included in the printed bulletin. Please remember them in your personal prayers.
Flowers on the altar this last weekend of September are sponsored by Carol & Duane Timperley; in loving memory of all the loved ones we have lost; and by Dave & Penny Pedersen in honor of September birthdays. Also, thank you to the family of Darrell Jorgensen for the gift of flowers in his remembrance. Congratulations to Don & Beth Freese as they celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary on Oct. 3.
Everyone is invited to Fellowship Hour for coffee and rolls between
services each Sunday in the Fellowship Hall.
Thank you to everyone who helped in any way to support Campus Ministry through the Folks & Forks fundraiser on Sunday. We were able to net $12,277.66! A huge thank you to the Northeast Area Jazz Ensemble for great music, First Choice Pies and Culver’s Frozen Custard for wonderful dessert, and all who worked to keep things moving smoothly. All these efforts help keep campus ministry alive on NECC / UNMC’s campus here in Norfolk. PLEASE CONTACT THE CHURCH OFFICE if you or someone you know is hospitalized and would enjoy a visit. Our church staff and hospital visiting volunteers would be happy to greet, see, and pray with you.
Dr. David E. Cox – Interim Senior Pastor
Justin Wiese – Assistant Pastor, NeLCM-Norfolk Campus Pastor Jacquie Samway – PMA, Coordinator of Congregational Care
Jolene Ziebell – Coordinator of Youth Ministries Gail Ermels – Office Manager
Jim Carter – Custodian/Grounds Keeper Midge Hedrick – Office Assistant
SUNDAY, SEPT 27 8:30 am ....................................................... Worship 9:30 am ........................................... Fellowship Hour 9:45 am .............................................. Sunday School 9:45 am .............................. Life of Christ Bible Study 11:00 am ..................................................... Worship
MONDAY, SEPT 28 10:00 am ............................................. Staff Meeting 7:00 pm ............................................. Praise Forever 8:30 pm………… .......................................... Solid Rock
TUESDAY, SEPT 29 7:00 am ................................ Men’s Prayer Breakfast 7:00 pm .............................. Coming Together Forum Hoppe Community Room (lower level)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT 30 1:30 pm .................................... Searchers ChristCare Connie Hagstrom, 402-649-4862 2:30 pm ...................... 7th & *th Grade Confirmation 3:35 pm .................................................. Youth Choir 4:20 pm ...................................................... Bell Choir 5:00 pm ................................................ Confirmation 5:30 pm ................................ Last Wednesday Lectio 7:00 pm ............................................. Property Team
THURSDAY, OCT 1 7:00 pm .............................. Majesty Choir Rehearsal
SATURDAY, OCT 3 5:00 pm ........................................................ Worship
SHOP FOR MINISTRY
SEPT 27 8:30 am Doris McMahon 11 am Beth Bonderson OCT 4 8:30 am Lee Stingley 11 am Jeanne Timperley
ST. JOHN’S EXECUTIVE BOARD Mike Widhalm, President. ...... 1-402-316-5382 John Skogstoe, VP ..................... 402-379-3148 Danny Olson, Treasurer............. 402-379-1036 Diane Sobotka, Secretary...….…..402-371-3583
OFFERINGS Mission Emphasis (OCT) ...................... Mercy Meals Greenfiber Funds for OCT-DEC .. Blessings/Backpack General offering for 9/20/15 .................... $5,678.29 The above general offering figure reflects
weekly additions of direct deposits and advance pledges.
End of August Net Profit / (Loss) .................... 543.95 Year-to-Date Net Profit / (Loss) ............ ($15,760.11) Attendance 9/20/15 ....................... (29, 98, 105) 232
NORFOLK FOOD PANTRY Thank you to all who helped with
groceries, money and the gift of time for the Norfolk Food Pantry. A special THANK YOU to Shirley
Frowick who manages to keep things orderly for St. John’s
during our volunteer month – moving donated
items from St. John’s to the pantry and making sure folks are available to help. You are the hands of God in our community!
TO OUR SEPTEMBER FOOD PANTRY
WORKERS:
Thank you for your kind and quick help you gave me and my family. The quantity and variety was greatly appreciated. I don’t do
thank you notes enough, but your added note of who was volunteering made me conscious of your time away on a weekday. Again,
thank you. God’s blessings on you all. ~anonymous~
Aline Skogstoe, our YAGM (Young Adult in Global Mission), is financially still somewhere
over the ocean! Thank you for your continued support of Aline in her mission work. Checks should be made out to St. John’s, with Aline’s name in memo line, and we will update weekly. If you would
like to write to Aline, her mailing address is: Aline Skogstoe St. Swithuns School Alresford Road Winchester, Hampshire, UK SO21 1HA
BRIGHT HORIZONS DIAPER DRIVE This is the final week for the diaper
drive. Bright Horizons is especially in need of sizes 4, 5, 6 and baby wipes. A collection box is available in the west
hallway for your donations until Wednesday.
STEPHEN MINISTRY
Our Stephen Ministers are
here to help you with this one-
to-one caring ministry. If you
would like to visit with a
minister, please contact one of
our leaders:
Karen Widhalm 402-694-9031
Jacquie Samway 402-371-1985
Jolene Ziebell 402-992-1328
Nancy Jacobs 402-841-1770
Our Stephen Ministers are:
Jeann Granstra Susan Skogstoe
Kristy Booras Laurel moore
Katrina Tomsen Kris Dahlkoetter
Jan Henning
St. John’s is starting 2 NEW CHOIRS
this fall to enhance worship. The rehearsals will be offered between
confirmation classes on Wednesday afternoons starting Sept. 9. These
choirs will be open to members or non-members:
YOUTH CHOIR is open to 3rd – 8th graders. (Wednesdays 3:35-4:15pm)
Song selections will be from “Capitol Kids! Worship” – a collection featuring
the biggest worship songs your kids may already be singing in the car!
BELL CHOIR is open to everyone – young and old! All are welcome to join
in on this intergenerational activity. (Wednesdays 4:20-5 pm)
MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) is a Christian group of women who support each
other in our mothering journey and grow together in our relationship with Christ. All mothers of children age newborn through
kindergarten are welcome. Free childcare is provided. The morning MOPS group meets the
first Wednesday of the month, September
through May, from 8:45 AM – 11 AM at Victory Road Evangelical Free Church, 1201 N. Victory Rd., Norfolk. The evening MOPS group
meets the third Thursday of the month, September through May, from 6 PM – 8:30 PM at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 1100
E. Benjamin Ave., Norfolk. All Christian denominations are welcome.
MAJESTY CHOIR
The Majesty Choir continues their
new choir season with practices on
Thursday nights @ 7 pm. We
welcome new voices, former members, or anyone who loves to
lift their voice to the Lord!
CALL COMMITTEE REPORT
The Call Committee has recently received the
profiles from Synod office of two candidates
for the position of Senior Pastor of St. John's.
After prayerful deliberation and conversation,
we have determined that these candidates are
not a good ministry match for our
congregation.
We appreciate your patience and continuing
prayers as we continue the call process.
The 2nd meeting of the Coming Together
Forums will be held Tuesday, Sept. 29,
from 7-8:30 pm in the Hoppe Community
Room (lower level – north side). These
discussions will revolve around the
Supreme Court decision to allow same
gender marriages. Session 2 – Biblical
Discussion regarding same sex
relationships. Thank you to all who provided food and served for the Waine Kruse funeral. Your generous donations and help is greatly appreciated.
A big thank you to all who baked and helped serve for the Darrell Jorgensen funeral. And, a special thank you to the "special hands" that showed up and helped with clean up. Everyone is so appreciated. Thank you.
Thank you also to those who have volunteered to help in the future with serving and preparing food for funerals! We’ll be calling!
Carol Timperley
Team forming
now to plan events that will be held the first
Wed. of each month. If interested in being part of this team, please contact
Mandy Sterud at 605-695-2920 or Tracy Meister 402-750-5734.
THE NEXT ST. JOHN’S Fall Festival “GET
TOGETHER” will be Wednesday, October 7, @ 6pm. There will be pumpkin bowling,
pumpkin cookie decorating, s'mores, a firepit and songs around the campfire.
Hope you can join us – everyone invited. MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
To the people of St. John's, A big shout out of thanks to each and every one of you for making St. John's very first time participating in the ELCA God's Work, Our Hands day a huge success! It was a wonderful day and we had a great turnout of many hands joining together with our fellow ELCA congregations across the U.S. for a day of community service. Because of all your efforts, in a 3 hour time frame, with approximately 125 people participating, we were able to:
Pack 150 school kits for Lutheran World Relief
Assemble 600 Welcome Kits for the Chamber of Commerce
fold 500 flyers for the Norfolk Public Library
assemble 75 Christmas Ornaments for Golden Living Nursing Home
complete 3 tie blankets for The Madison House
make some awesome thank you cards for military veterans
clean up trash around the Norfolk Public Library and surrounding area, along Pasewalk from 18th to Hy-Vee, and along both sides of 275 by Menards and Walmart
Paint a room at the Rescue Mission & tear out a floor of another room
lay mats under over half of the playground equipment at Northern Hills Daycare
sort and pack 110 boxes of clothes for the Orphan Grain Train
visit nine people in nursing homes Complete many random acts of kindness
including: deliver cookies to the Police & Fire Station, took cold wash cloths to walkers at the Alzheimer's walk, gave out quarters at the laundry mat, paid for some people's groceries, paid for someone's meal in a fast food drive through, handed out lottery tickets at a gas station and washed their windshields.
We were all blessed to enjoy fun and fellowship while shining the light of Jesus to others through our service! In reference to Pastor David's sermon last week, I think some might even say, "now THAT is a great church." I can't wait to see what our next year God's Work, Our Hands day of service will look like!!
Oh...and did I mention...you guys ROCK!!!
In His service with all of you, Tracy Meister
REFUGEE HELP Wanting to help with the Refugee crisis
around the world? Lutheran World Relief and
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services
are excellent organizations to work with to
help others.
As the civil war in Syria continues, thousands
of refugees and migrants from Northern
Africa, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq are
flowing into Europe. The UN Refugee
Agency reports that more than 2,000 refugees
are arriving in Hungary daily, before moving
on to other European countries.
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
has been active since 1939 in working with
Refugees. They are present and working to
help people in need. Lutheran World Relief is
shipping Mission Quilts, Baby Care Kits and
Personal Care Kits to Serbia to distribute to
refugees and migrants.
LWR is also supporting ACT Alliance
members in providing humanitarian support.
ACT members are providing hygiene items,
winter coats and blankets, emergency shelter
and psychosocial support in two temporary
camps in Hungary.
Clergy Appreciation Day
is Sunday, Oct. 11
HELP ST. JOHN’S
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN FIGHTING
WORLD HUNGER
We need volunteers to help fill
our 3 teams –
10 people per team On Sunday, October 18th, St. John’s will
once again be participating in the MERCY
MEALS PACK AWAY HUNGER DAY
to be held at Divot’s DeVent Center. Last
year participants had a wonderful time
packing 15,000 for hungry children. This
year we plan on having 3 teams and beating
that record! Reserve the day and plan to
bring family and friends to help fight world
hunger.
Gather your friends and family
and reserve your spot
10:00 a.m. Noon or 2:00 p.m.
Honey Sunday
coming November 1
ST. JOHN’S WINTER WARMTH GIVEAWAY We are collecting clean, gently-used, no-longer-needed winter clothing to give (at no cost) to those in need.
Collection bins will be in the West Hallway for all sizes of:
Adult Outerwear Adult Sweaters
Children’s Winter Clothing Gloves, Hats, Scarves
Boots
Collection during October & November. Giveaway November 15, 2015
Let St. John’s “warm up the winter” and bring the warmth of God’s love to someone special. Temple Christ Care
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
5 PM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK
MIKE WIDHALM
WORSHIP ASSISTANT
KAREN WIDHALM
GREETERS/USHERS – Lonny & Clare
Kleensang
READER – Carolyn Wilcox
PRAYER LEADER – __________
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
8:30 AM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK
MIKE WIDHALM
WORSHIP ASSISTANT
KAREN WIDHALM
GREETERS – Marv Rover, Carol Sorsen
USHERS – Mark Polenske, Mike Frank,
Mike Kai
READER – Sara Fegley
FELLOWSHIP HOUR – Dennis & Lois Braesch
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS – Jim & Elenore
Merritt, Carol Waggoner, Sara Fegley
PRAYER LEADER – Maureen Bivens
POWERPOINT – Janet Erickson
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
11 AM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK
MIKE WIDHALM
WORSHIP ASSISTANT
KAREN WIDHALM
GREETERS—Jana Kuhlman, __________
USHERS – Jeff & Cathy Erwin, Mark Nelson
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS – Lon & Jeanne
Timperley, Cathy & Jeff Erwin
PRAYER LEADER – Carol Severa
POWERPOINT – Marcus / Adam Echtenkamp
LECTIONARY READINGS:
Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm 54
James 3:13—4:3, 7-8a
Mark 9:30-37
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
5 PM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
DIANE SOBOTKA
WORSHIP ASSISTANT
CONNIE HAGSTROM
GREETERS/USHERS – Lonny & Clare
Kleensang
READER – Dale Stephenson
PRAYER LEADER – __________
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
8:30 AM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
DIANE SOBOTKA
WORSHIP ASSISTANT
CONNIE HAGSTROM
GREETERS – Bob Henning, Dick & Barb Adams
USHERS – Dennis & Lois Braesch
READER – Rollie Downs
FELLOWSHIP HOUR – Roger & Lisa
Echtenkamp
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS – Rollie & Linda
Downs, Sherri Kuk, Diane Sobotka
PRAYER LEADER – Maureen Bivens
POWERPOINT – Midge Hedrick
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
11 AM
COUNCIL PERSON OF THE WEEK –
DIANE SOBOTKA
WORSHIP ASSISTANT
CONNIE HAGSTROM
GREETERS—Michelle Dagerman, Martha
Thompson
USHERS – Kevin Bonderson, Don Meister,
Carol Severa
COMMUNION ASSISTANTS – Beth Bonderson,
Janet Erickson, Tracy Meister,
Kristy Booras
PRAYER LEADER – Lon Timperley
POWERPOINT –Emma Dagerman
LECTIONARY READINGS:
Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 8
Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16